


One Second

by koutis



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Blood, Emotionally Hurt Alec Lightwood, Hurt Magnus Bane, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 05:47:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18750247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koutis/pseuds/koutis
Summary: Set in CoLS, before p.511Amatis doesn't miss.





	One Second

**Author's Note:**

> mostly book based, like nearly entirely, but little sprinkles of stuff from the show

Alec was too slow. 

 

One second too late with his shot. Magnus's magic was shimmering when he had turned away, he had assumed that it meant nothing would go wrong. Magnus was centuries old and would live for centuries more, how could anything happen to him?

 

Alec was a second too late. 

 

When he spun around once more, his boyfriend was on the ground, Amatis above him with her dagger buried in his chest. Between Alec's current heartbeat and the next he let loose his shot and got her through the neck. But it wasn't soon enough.

 

Alec rushes to Isabelle's side. He doesn't remember his trek down the rocky hillside and doesn't care to either. Alec's speed rune is burning on the inside of his forearm and he couldn't be more grateful that he activated it when the herd grew larger not two minutes ago.

 

Izzy is still kneeling by Magnus when Alec throws himself down next to her. 

 

When she turns to look at him, Alec knows it's not good. He wishes he could have ignored her farther, been unable to read her so intimately as to know so soon the reality of the situation. 

 

"He's barely breathing, Alec."

 

Her brother doesn't move an inch. He just stares in shock at what she has told him, because that can't be right. And Alec can't let himself do this right now, Izzy never cared enough to pay attention to classes on aid in the field, it was always Alec. It was always going to be Alec that would take care of them and those who needed it. 

 

"Alec, come on, this is not the time to zone out. You are a soldier and sometimes there are casualties of war, but they don't always have to be!" She moves a hand to grab his wrist, "Magnus is still conscious, Alec. Please, I don't know what to do."

 

The older Shadowhunter snaps out of it immediately. His runes are pulsing against his skin and in the blink of an eye he has his boyfriend's head in the crook of his arm. Magnus's body cradled against his. Alec leaves room for Izzy to try and put pressure on the wound, despite knowing it was virtually pointless. He instructs her properly after cutting open the clothing further. Amatis had taken the blade with her before she had fallen dead, but Alec still knows the blade was adamas. 

 

Magnus's breathing patterns are erratic and sounding thick. "Alec." Magnus' voice is soft -- weak.

 

Alec cracks a small smile for him, a private one. Distantly, he is thankful that Izzy is retreating back into the fight so he can have a proper moment with the man he loves. One hand replaces hers, he knows at this point he might as well not, but a part of him won't listen to that; the part that says if Magnus dies then so does he.

 

"Hey, I thought we agreed you'd be careful?"

 

The Warlock's cat eyes are glossy, glowing less than they usually do; they're dimming and the realization has Alec sucking on his teeth.

 

There's blood on Magnus's lips and all Alec can think is:

 

_That's not right. Not right at all. That's not right._

 

Anytime Magnus's lips have been red it was from lipstick, but there is no makeup on his face now and it's not how Alec could have ever anticipated this going -- if he ever would have managed to entertain the idea at all.

 

"Alexander," He chokes on the last consonant. "I," 

 

The High Warlock let's out a long breath and Alec's heart nearly cracks in his chest. For he assumes it's the last one and that he is gone; but of course, Magnus surprises him.

 

A shorter breath escapes from his lips, "I love you."

 

His voice floats gently to Alec's ears, it is the only sound he is listening to. He ignores the sounds of war raging around them, of his siblings fighting, perhaps still on separate sides: he can't care now. All Alec focuses on is the man in front of him -- the one he had spent so long worrying about living forever and forgetting him. That all seems so pointless now, not living in the moment with him, simply loving without abandon, being together. For weeks now, he had been pulling away. _God_ , Alec thinks, _I'm horrible._ Everything with Camille wavers past his concious and he is starting to go numb. This was a time of war, but he never treated it like anyone but him would die in it.

 

Alec wants to say, _'I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry.'_

 

Instead he says, "I love you, too. So much." 

 

Magnus's lips are trembling around his open mouth, as if he wishes to speak but they will not heed his command. Alec shushes him, tells him it's alright, and leans down to kiss the worry from his dying love.

 

"I'm so sorry." Alec finally says it. He knows it's the end now. Blood has soaked into his jeans, causing the material to stick thickly to his legs. It's too much; in quantity and the emotional pain it brings. His knees are wet with it as well from how much had spilled over and onto the rocky earth. Too much blood, too much loss. _Too much._

 

Magnus can no longer express himself with words. Golden-green cat eyes meet blue one last time; his words are clear for anyone to see.

 

_It's okay. It's not your fault_.

 

And bitterly,

 

_I don't want to die_.

 

Magnus wants to say so much to him, so many things he has kept to himself, not even told Catarina or a ghost of the past. About how much Alec had meant to him, how new he was in so many ways. How he was the first to show he might want to stay.

 

Distantly, he hopes someone will look after Raphael now that he no longer can. Guadalupe is sure to look down on him, but that has never been enough for that wreckless boy. 

 

Magnus can only dream that someone will watch over his Alexander now as well. His Alexander who never even thought to judge him when it was found that he started a demon cult as a joke. The one who stayed after Magnus unloaded truths from the past that hung heavy over his heart. The archer boy he loves with all his heart; not a portion, not a sliver, and not with past love still in him. He loved him wholly, more than anyone else, and had foolishly hoped that maybe, just maybe, one day they would wed. One day when they lived in a changed world that accepted them. Magnus always wanted someone special to want to be with him for their life. Now, when he finally had it, he was the one leaving. With much disdain, he creates his last thought. They are not his words, simply the echo of the promise before him.

 

_There is a time we all must return to live in the houses of our fathers_.

 

Alec sees the moment he has gone. His eyes unfocus and are a pale, pale yellow now. Green is nowhere to be seen. The slim slits expand, though they are unseeing. 

 

The Shadowhunter pulls the man in his arms up to his chest. The archers right hand delicately handles the back of the Warlock's neck, and holds him so close; Alec has no doubt that he is covered in blood. He knows he's smeared more through Magnus's hair just now, but nothing can bring him to care.

 

There is an explosion of light. He doesn't see it, he doesn't acknowledge the burning in his parabatai rune. He doesn't know what it is that's causing it all. Alec has his eyes pressed shut so tightly that he can't bring himself to open them. Winning doesn't seem possible anymore; not when he's lost the only thing that matters. The one thing that set him free.

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
